


Mystic Silver

by rosegoldthread



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Thieves, Alternate Universe - Witchcraft, Ambiguous Relationships, Explicit Sexual Content, M/M, Morally Ambiguous Character, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-20
Updated: 2019-08-31
Packaged: 2020-09-06 06:01:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20286568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosegoldthread/pseuds/rosegoldthread
Summary: Where Hendery is a skilled thief who bites off more than he can chew when he dares to steal from witches.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I had a lot of doubts about posting this, but here we go! Please note that the characters in this won't always be the most morally upstanding people, but they'll try their best anyway. Hope you enjoy!

The store is mostly empty, afternoon rush making way for the dull, sluggish hours right before closing. It's a fairly small store, filled with all sorts of oddities, like tiny knick-knacks, neatly labeled bottles, and displays sagging under the weight of antique jewelry. 

He's been monitoring this location for a few days, casually walking in and purchasing small items to avoid arousing any suspicion while he scoped out the security situation. Hendery can barely hold in his excitement when he finds that the store's security is a joke. The boy at the register can hardly ever keep his eyes open, his blindingly orange locks always covering his face as his head lolls to the side under the burden of slumber. There are only two cameras, both angled in such a way that there's a huge blind spot in the part of the store that matters to Hendery the most.

The necklace he seeks is on a faux velvet necklace bust. It boasts of a long, silver chain that glints like gunmetal in the light, drawing his eyes to the teardrop-shaped ruby nestled in the bust's velvety cleft. It seems to pulse the longer he looks at it, and he feels a distant longing that makes his fingers itch with the insistence to hold it close. It looks like it would fetch a lot of money from his usual buyers, and the thought leaves his mouth watering, so he moves to snag it before he starts drooling in earnest. 

In hindsight, the general lack of security around an item so precious should have tipped him off. There's an unsettling feeling in his chest, and the thought that this is far too easy echoes in his mind even as he's about to take the piece of jewelry. 

"What do you think you're doing?" The voice nearly startles a jump out of him, but Hendery has prepared extensively for situations like this. He schools his expression into one of wide-eyed confusion, letting his mouth go slack to better sell the image. _Never look like you've been caught doing something, especially if there isn't enough proof to back the accuser up_. The lesson is ingrained into his psyche, and he never forgets it.

"Huh?" Hendery replies as he finally turns around to get a look at the man who had spoken. His heart is beating a very insistent rhythm in his chest, palms starting to sweat with the surge of nerves. But he channels a sweeping innocence in his expression, infusing it with a pinch of disorientation and a dash of slow-wittedness as he blinks sluggishly at the man questioning him.

The man in question is gorgeous in a way that has Hendery tightly monitoring his breathing, bidding his heart to _calm the fuck down_. He tries not to get distracted by the multiple, glinting piercings in his ears, or his sharp jawline as he keeps talking. _Focus, Hendery_.

"The sign says to ask for assistance with any and all jewelry. We don't allow customers to touch them without an employee present," he says. His look is piercing enough that Hendery almost shivers, but he keeps up the facade, tight and in control.

"Oh! I'm so sorry. It was just so pretty, I couldn't help but touch it. I really apologize!" Hendery replies, widening his eyes further and settling his lips into a fine tremor, as if he's so flustered he's about to burst into tears.

It always works. It's never failed him. 

So he can't for the life of him understand why the other man's gaze doesn't soften. Why he doesn't immediately glaze over with sympathy for him. In fact, his face seems to harden into something as beautiful and sharp as an ice sculpture, brows scrunching together in tight scrutiny as the look on his face threatens to tear through Hendery's facade like cheap toilet paper. _What the fuck?_

He finds solace in the fact that the man can't necessarily pin anything on him, given that he'd merely touched the necklace. He starts working out maneuvers to get out of this situation, already mentally drafting up plans to either come back better prepared or to give up on this treasure altogether. He could just find another store, or get Yukhei to come with him next time to cover him-

"Ten, please stop scaring the poor boy. He just touched the thing, no need to get all worked up," a voice says from behind the counter. The other man clocks the head of the boy sitting at the cash register, startling him awake. Ten sighs.

"Sorry, Kun. I'm just on edge after those idiot kids from last week-" he cuts off abruptly and levels Hendery with one last, oddly searching, look before he walks away. Hendery holds in his sigh of relief, choosing instead to apologize for the "misunderstanding" to the man called Kun. Kun seems much softer, eyes kind as he tells Hendery that it's no problem and that he hopes to see him again soon. The boy with the orange hair, whose name tag reads Chenle, is already dozing off again by the time he leaves the store.

Only when he's walked a few blocks away from the building does he let out the tension trapped in his body, breathing out a heavy sigh of relief and feeling himself relax. _That was fucking close_. He reaches into his pocket, feeling the chill of the silver chain and the smooth face of a ruby. He smiles at the thought of how easy it was to take, with Ten's attention diverted to Kun.

_Worked like a charm_

_-_-_-_

"Where the fuck have you been? I've been texting you for like two hours," Yukhei says in greeting as soon as Hendery walks through the door. He's sprawled on the large leather couch, his big body taking up way too much space. Hendery feels excitement spike in his veins, ready to show him the gorgeous necklace and boast about his score today, but he catches sight of Mark sitting on the loveseat, looking away from the blaring television just long enough to wave at Hendery shyly.

He waves back and directs his attention to Yukhei, who looks awfully relaxed for someone who’s been worried about him for two hours.

"I was busy. Didn't check my phone," Hendery replies, making his way to the kitchen to see if there's anything to eat. Yukhei doesn't actually answer, too busy pretending to watch TV while sneaking glances at Mark, who's too distracted by the shitty reality show to notice. Hendery chooses to ignore them both in favor of rooting around the fridge in search of something to eat.

"There's beef noodle soup for you in the blue container," Hendery almost jumps out of his skin at the sound of Sicheng's deep voice, nearly hitting his head on one of the fridge shelves as he turns around. 

"Fuck, you scared me," Hendery doesn't know why he's so on edge as he says it, heart beating fast as he looks at Sicheng. Probably displaced anxiety from earlier, but he's not sure. Sicheng eyes him curiously.

"Where were you earlier? Xuxi and Taeil were getting anxious, you're usually not out that late without shooting one of us a text," he says.

"I was busy," he gives Sicheng the same answer he gave Yukhei, and Sicheng looks at him with his brows furrowed in confusion until he catches a glimpse of Mark sitting on the loveseat, laughing at Yukhei's running commentary on the show they're watching. There's a firm rule against talking about jobs when Mark is around. His face fills with understanding, and he nods his head, moving to grab some bottles of beer from the fridge.

"Try to text us before you leave next time, we were all sorta worried," he's balancing three bottles of beer in his arms as he says it, face settling into his usual nonchalance once he understands that Hendery was out on a personal job, and not getting arrested or murdered or something. 

"Sure thing, boss," he replies.

Hendery warms up the noodles in the microwave, the whirring sound offset by Mark's giggling in the living room. He's still on edge for some reason, jumping a bit at every little noise and feeling strangely irritable as he eats at the dining table. Hunger makes him stuff the food into his mouth, regretting it as the piping hot noodles and pieces of beef burn his tongue. He eats quickly, finishing a large portion in minutes. It should settle him, but he feels slightly nauseous afterward and the sounds of the television and the raucous laughter are much too loud, pressing against his ears and rattling around in his skull until he can't stand it anymore. He heads to his room after rinsing his bowl and placing it in the dishwasher, too eager to get away from the noise to actually wash it by hand. 

The necklace is placed in one of the safes in his walk-in closet, secured with his usual code. He strips and falls onto his bed afterward, burrowing into the sheets and trying to let the exhaustion ease his body into sleep. But sleep eludes him, and he ends up throwing off the light blanket. The cotton sheets feel itchy against his skin, and a faint feeling of wrongness makes its home in his chest. 

He tosses and turns for a while before his door swings open. Hendery isn't surprised to find that it's Yukhei. He's the only one who never has the courtesy to fucking knock. He crawls into bed beside him, seeking warmth that Hendery isn't sure he can provide, given that he feels so heated and uncomfortable. He doesn't even notice the sweat sticking his inky hair to his forehead until Yukhei reaches out and pushes it away, looking at Hendery with worry.

"Are you okay? How'd it go?" Yukhei asks as he begins to run his fingers through his hair, rubbing soothing circles on his arm as he stays close. He almost tells him to stop, given that his hair is so sweaty. But it feels really good, and he can't bring himself to ask.

Yukhei is the only one he'd told about the gorgeous necklace, obsessively planning for days and refusing his offers of help for a job he deemed too easy. He hadn't exactly told him he'd be doing it today, but Yukhei is perceptive, and he supposes that it did take him long enough to get home that he may have been worried that it didn't go to plan.

"Almost got caught," he replies, surprised by how raspy his voice sounds as if he's parched.

"No fucking way! You? Get caught? S'not possible," he can see the pearly glint of Yukhei's teeth in the moonlight as he says it, eyes widened in disbelief. 

Hendery feels himself relaxing, the itch in his skin dissipating as Yukhei continues to touch him, crowding in closer as he feels Hendery's body go pliant. 

"I know, that's what I fucking thought. The security was shit, but there was this employee who caught on to my gig. He didn't buy my act either," Hendery says, slotting a leg between Yukhei's as they cuddle.

He doesn't mention that the employee was gorgeous, or that his gaze sent a chill up his spine. Yukhei looks even more worried, brows furrowing in a way that has Hendery wanting to smooth them out instantly.

"You need to be more careful next time, have me or even Xiaojun come with-"

Hendery cuts him off with a dry laugh that makes his throat ache and his stomach burn, because the thought of letting Xiaojun trail him on a small scale job (or any job) is hilarious, and Yukhei knows it. Xiaojun is great at what he does, but when it comes to the stealth and speed required to snatch things from under people's noses, he falls notoriously short. Which is why Sicheng and Taeil relegate him to tech, and tech only.

“You know I love him, but hell no,” Hendery says.

Yukhei rolls his eyes, gearing up to continue the argument before Hendery interrupts him.

"So, Mark was here earlier. How was that?" He can't help but smile at the way Yukhei grows quiet and bashful, trying to hide his presumably reddening face. 

"I mean, we basically vegetated on the couch and watched reruns of Jersey Shore, nothing special," Yukhei replies, attempting to avoid Hendery's eyes. He's having none of it, and he reaches out to grab Yukhei's chin, angling his face so he has to look at him. He smiles in encouragement, and Yukhei continues.

"He's so fucking gorgeous. And sweet. I wish we could just-" he sighs, looking down in defeat.

"You think he knows?" Yukhei asks suddenly, face close enough that Hendery can feel his breath against his (slightly less) heated skin. 

"I mean, he's either astonishingly manipulative or painfully oblivious in my opinion, and he doesn't really strike me as the former. So no, I don't think he has a clue," Hendery says thoughtfully, mind conjuring up the image of wide eyes and cheekbones pushed higher under the force of a genuine smile. Where Hendery channels innocence like a shield, Mark is genuinely oblivious, but then again, so is Yukhei. He doesn't mention the way that Mark looks at Yukhei as if he hung the stars by hand, for fear that he might be reading the situation wrong. There's also the glaring fact that they engage in what Xiaojun likes to call "shady shit". But he firmly believes that they'll figure it out eventually, and he's content to watch in amusement as they dance around each other for the time being.

Yukhei presses their foreheads together, and it's a slightly awkward angle, but Hendery feels so much better, the uncomfortable itch dissipating until he feels comfortable in his sheets. The weird feeling of something isn't right still sits heavy on his chest, but he ignores it in favor of gifting Yukhei with an innocent peck on the lips. Yukhei lets out something close to a groan in response, moving to kiss Hendery in earnest. The slide of their lips is lazy, tension bleeding out between them until they're just a sprawl of pliant limbs, kissing under the slice of moonlight shining through his window. 

"Don't sweat it Xuxi, everything will work out just fine," Hendery whispers. Yukhei responds with a soft, innocent peck on his forehead. 

They've been doing this for a while, seeking each other in the comfort of the night when things get too heavy to bear on their own. Hendery can't say that he's ever been in love with Yukhei, but he loves him, and he trusts him enough to take off some of his masks. But not all of them. Never all of them.

They're too tired to take it anywhere further tonight, settling for lazy kisses and shared warmth until they eventually fall asleep.

_-_-_-_

Hendery wakes up in a panic. He immediately throws the warm weight of Yukhei's hand off of his stomach as he moves to stand. His heart is racing, sweat sticking the sheets to his skin even as he tries to get out of bed. The edge of a blurred nightmare sits on his mind, terrifying him with the threat of recollection. He knows that whatever he saw in that dream is beyond terrifying, and his mind skitters away from the memory of it, protecting him from whatever it was that drove him awake. His body is wracked with aches and his throat feels parched. There's a dull haze of sleep over him as he walks on unsteady legs, making his way towards the bathroom in hopes of drinking a few handfuls of water from the tap. 

He can usually map out the path to his bathroom with his eyes closed, so he's disoriented when he opens the door to the closet instead, wobbling slightly as he holds onto the door frame. He blinks in confusion as his body seems to move on autopilot, and a deep sense of longing overtakes him as he reaches for his safe. Hendery punches in the numbers and watches, as if from a location outside of his own body, as it clicks open, revealing the necklace he had placed in it earlier. His body seems to calm down once he touches the cold, glinting silver. 

He lifts the piece up reverently, feeling the sense of wrongness again, as though something is missing and he needs to find it before it's too late. A small, niggling, thought suggests that the necklace is what he needs, and Hendery finds himself clasping the necklace on as it fits around his neck, blood-red ruby resting against his chest. 

It should frighten him, the way that he feels whole once the necklace is in constant contact with his skin. The unsteady feeling in his legs fades, and his body stops aching. The heavy feeling in his chest seems to disappear, replaced with a sluggish flow of warmth that sees him climbing back onto his bed, fast asleep as soon as his head hits the pillow.

When he wakes up again, it's to the sound of rustling sheets and the feeling of rapid movement from his side. His sleep-addled mind struggles to catch up, but he soon recalls that he went to bed with Yukhei, and his brain supplies him with the fact that Yukhei is probably rubbing against his sheets. Which is nothing new. However the piercing cold of the silver chain against his skin is a novelty, and he reaches to touch the necklace, body filling with contrasting warmth at the assurance that it's there. He turns to get a better look at Yukhei and watches as he buries his face in one of the pillows, muffling his noises of pleasure and desperation in the tight threads of the fabric.

"Xuxi?" He whispers tentatively, voice gentle enough to avoid startling him. 

Yukhei lifts his head from the pillow, cheeks flushed and mouth slack with desperation. He lets out a strangled moan when his gaze finally settles on Hendery, eyes blown with pleasure as he continues to shamelessly rub against the sheets. He gets like this sometimes, and Hendery is perfectly willing to help him out. Friction against the sheets or another firm surface doesn't do much for him, personally, but Yukhei is sensitive enough and enjoys having his cock trapped against something he can rub against.

"C'mere Xuxi, lemme take care of you," he directs, nearly laughing at the speed at which Yukhei crowds into him, pressing their bodies together. He rubs against him for a little bit, tiny gasps and moans settling in the quiet of the morning before his eyes widen.

"S'okay?" He asks, slowing his desperate movement but somehow not able to fully stop. He looks close and Hendery runs a hand through thick hair as he replies, "of course it's okay Xuxi, are you close?" Yukhei nods his head, letting out a whine when Hendery angles his leg between his thighs, letting him rub against toned muscle. It doesn’t take long. He tenses up when he comes, a drawn-out moan escaping his pretty mouth as grips Hendery like a vice. Hendery rubs his back as he shivers through it, pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead as he comes down.

He works through his own post-orgasm haze to get a grip on Hendery, working him to full hardness with deft twists of his hand. Yukhei's other hand moves to tweak Hendery's nipple, and it startles a moan out of him as he fucks into the grip around his aching length. His hand trails a searing path on Hendery's skin as he keeps touching him, skimming over his chest and making contact with cold silver and smooth ruby-

Hendery freezes. A cold sense of panic fills his gut, and it's accompanied by a nasty rage that fills his head. 

Yukhei lets out a startled cry as Hendery pushes him away. The bed is big enough that he doesn't fall off, but it's a close thing, given the force behind Hendery's push. His brow is scrunched in confusion, eyes wide with worry. There's also a slight tremor to his plush lips that speaks of the beginning of fear.  
_What the fuck?_

Hendery feels hot shame replace the cold panic in his gut, defensiveness winding down into confusion as he looks at Yukhei's worried face.

"Fuck, I'm so sorry Xuxi! I don't know why the hell I did that," Hendery says, hands up and pleading as Yukhei stares at him wordlessly. He doesn't realize he's shaking until Yukhei tentatively holds his hand as if he's afraid of getting pushed away again.

"This okay?" He asks, voice hesitant. Hendery quickly nods his head as the contact makes him relax a bit, taking the edge off of some of the shakiness. 

"I don't know- I'm so sorry, I-" Hendery can't even explain himself, looking down at their joined hands helplessly. 

"You'd tell me if you were uncomfortable right? Like, this thing we do, you're not obligated-" Hendery cuts him off with a wave of his other (slightly shaky) hand. 

"Yeah, Xuxi, I would 100% let you know. But that wasn't the problem, I just...don't really know?" Hendery feels a little defeated as he says it, but Yukhei nods his head and squeezes his hand in a show of support.

The pale, buttery light of the sun makes the necklace sparkle on his chest, and Yukhei eyes it warily. 

"Is that the necklace you got yesterday? Thought you were selling it-" Yukhei says.

It makes Hendery defensive because how is this his business? It's _his_ necklace, and therefore none of Yukhei's business. Something bitter stirs in his gut, and it's years of trust and love for Yukhei that make him question the feeling. Because he's never felt anything bitter towards Yukhei before, not even when he managed to nearly get them both arrested once. The warmth of his hand on his and the concern in his eyes peel back the layers of defensiveness, allowing Hendery to recognize this feeling as foreign. It frightens him.

"Yeah, it's the one I um- got yesterday. I don't even clearly remember putting it on, to be honest. Must have sleepwalked or something," he replies with a shaky shrug.

As he says it he tugs on the necklace again, feeling a flood of reassurance at the contact. But his mind seems to be retreating from something, and not even heightened curiosity will get him to prod and poke at the dormant terror that had driven him awake earlier this morning. Something tells him that he should be terrified, but of what? Somehow he can sense that he doesn't actually want to know.

Yukhei pulls him into a hug, squeezing him gently as he mutters, "you'd tell me right? If something was wrong?" 

"Of course, Xuxi," Hendery says, voice muffled by the bulk of Yukhei's chest. 

He knows it's only partially true though, and guilt clogs his throat.


	2. Chapter 2

Yukhei hovers worriedly over the next few days, and while Hendery appreciates the concern, he can't help the way annoyance creeps up each time Yukhei checks in with him. It doesn't help that he hasn't been sleeping well, always jolting awake on the heels of a nightmare. 

"Are you feeling alright?" 

Hendery whips around from where he's eating breakfast, spoon clattering into his bowl of rice as he turns around to tell Yukhei that he's fucking _fine_, thank you very much.

Xiaojun stands near the entrance to the dining room with his keys in hand, face pinched with concern. Once his brain surmises that it isn't Yukhei asking for the hundredth time, he deflates.

"I'm good. Just a little tired," he replies. 

Xiaojun doesn't look like he buys it. If Hendery's reflection in the mirror earlier this morning is anything to go by, he looks like death. There are bruises under his eyes from the lack of sleep, and his face has grown pale and gaunt from his recent lack of appetite. As he runs a shaky hand through his hair he thinks, _at least my hair looks nice._

"What's up with your hair, are you good?" Yuta asks as he bursts into the dining room area. 

Welp. Never mind.

He's carrying a plate loaded with food, and Hendery is just about to tell him to go eat in his own house for a change when Taeil, Sicheng, and Yukhei walk in.

"Oh good, everyone's here for once. Remember, we meet back here at 5 today, so have all your shit together by then please," Taeil says, looking pointedly at Yukhei, who ducks his head in embarrassment.

"You forget a bolt cutter once and nobody lets you forget it, sheesh," Yukhei mutters under his breath. He moves to sit next to Hendery, stealing his spoon and his mostly untouched breakfast.

Hendery catches Xiaojun looking at him with the same worried expression, so he puts on a brave face and smiles brightly. He’s just going through a rough patch, that’s all. He figures that if he recites it in his head long enough, he may actually start to believe it.

_-_-_-_-_

"Hey, are you sure you're up to this? No offense, but you look like shit," Taeil says. 

Hendery gives him a dull look. "So what, you're gonna call off the job if I'm not feeling well? Don't worry about it, I'm good," he replies testily.

Taeil looks dubious, but he nods anyway. Hendery nearly regrets being so defensive, but they've been planning this small heist for about a year. The plans are meticulous, and for the most part, they involve his ability to handle art like a trained handler in a short amount of time. He doesn't want to back out now, not after all the work they've put into this. Even if he feels like shit.

"Alright so security systems are down, and I'll be watching everything around the house remotely. The video feed is set to loop, and I've manipulated the timestamps so that there won't be any footage of you guys going in or out of the house. But keep your disguises on just in case," Xiaojun's voice erupts from their earpieces. It makes Hendery jump, as he'd forgotten it was on. 

Yukhei pipes up from the back of the van "Oooh, he hacked into the mainframe again"

Hendery swears he can practically see Xiaojun rolling his eyes.

"You know that's not how any of this works. Anyways, good luck! Try not to get caught, idiot," Xiaojun replies. 

Yukhei scoffs. "We never get caught," he says, eyes bright with pride that Hendery wants to scold him for, but doesn't have the heart to. He straightens his vomit green protective suit and grips his "work bag" which should be filled with fumigation supplies but...isn't. Hendery wants to joke that the house won't be free of pests, but it will be free of a significant amount of wealth once they're done. He likes to think of it as doing them a favor, lightening their load, so to speak.

"Thanks for your work Xiaojun," Sicheng says from the driver's seat of the van. 

"Are we ready?" Yuta asks. He's adjusting his tool belt, which looks similar to Yukhei's, but has more weapons hidden deftly in its folds. Just in case.

"Born ready," Yukhei has that familiar grin on his face when he says it, a prelude to risk. It's the grin that preceded him taking a bullet in the shoulder in Guam or running from special armed forces in Guinea. The grin that invites danger over for tea and asks it to spend the night. It's a sick surge of adrenaline from this point on, and Yukhei is somehow better at absorbing it than Hendery could ever be. The sleepless nights are catching up to him, and his stomach feels hollow. No matter how many times they do this, the nervousness is always the same for him, and his addled state isn't necessarily helping. Hendery touches the necklace for what has to be the hundredth time today, and a feeling of reassurance and calm suddenly floods his brain even as his body feels like it will give out.

"Then let's do this. No traces?" Taeil says.

"No traces," they all respond in unison and proceed to step out of the van. 

To anyone looking from the outside, the Lee family is on vacation and the men stepping out of the van marked Sal's Fumigation Services are here to ensure that their home is "pest-free for a great fee". The vomit green protective suits and the marked van are just a precaution though, given that the Lee's nearest neighbors are about ten miles away. But they're nothing if not careful.

"Damn, imagine getting robbed by the sexiest fumigation team in the city. The Lee family should be honored," Yuta pipes up as he keys in the code to enter the house.

Hendery doesn't feel the need to mention that the prospect of losing paintings and jewelry worth millions doesn't bring up any pleasant feelings, so the Lee family won’t feel “honored” at the idea of being robbed. But he figures that they do know how to rock protective suits, even with the ugly color.

The house staff has received an invitation to an all-expense paid trip by their "bosses", courtesy of Xiaojun, so they don't expect any company. Once they're inside, they refer to the maps drawn up via Hendery's meticulous observation of the house. He could probably walk the vast halls of the mansion with his eyes closed, given the effort he put into scoping the place out. 

Standing in the grand foyer with its marble floors and hand-cut crystal chandelier reminds him of the first time he'd stepped into this place, about a year ago. One of Taeil's contacts had given them a heads up that the place was loaded after attending the Lee's annual gala. But the tight security systems and their clever "storage" rooms needed to be examined more closely if they wanted the wealth for themselves. The opportunity presented itself in the form of a post on a neighborhood forum.

_Babysitter needed._

Taeil's face had lit up with excitement as he asked, "Hey, Hendery? You've taken care of kids before, right?" 

He was being interviewed for the position about a week later.

Hendery found himself channeling a cheery disposition and sweet innocence that had the Lee family smitten even as they greeted him in the foyer. They explained to him that while they had an older, live-in nanny, they wanted someone a little younger to "facilitate creative activities" and act as a role model.  
"Think of yourself as an older brother figure, not just a babysitter," Mrs. Lee had said. Hendery had nodded, eyes wide with what anyone else would perceive as excitement at the prospect of a fun new job, while in actuality he calculated how much the woman's diamond earrings would go for on the market.

He had played with their two small children, Soohyun and Jiho like they were his own siblings, and during extensive games of hide and seek, he took the time to examine every nook and cranny of the house. He'd helped them with their piano lessons while plotting the best way to circumvent their parent's extensive security system. He'd made healthy snacks for the kids in their state of the art kitchen while simultaneously informing Xiaojun of all the cameras inside and outside of the house

"We love you Hendery!" the kids had yelled as they presented him with a messy bouquet of flowers one morning, chubby hands caked in dirt. The groundskeeper had been livid at the revelation that they'd ruined the gorgeous flower beds, but Hendery had smiled brightly at them, accepting both the flowers and a scolding on their behalf. They'd crowded around him for hours afterward, tugging at his clothes for his attention as he daydreamed about counting their parents' money.

Now, as they split up to cover more ground he heads down the familiar path to the room that houses paintings worth more than he would ever make in his life (legally at least). He tries to block out the memories of Jiho's smile and Soohyun's chubby cheeks as he punches in the code to get into the room. He also ignores the creeping exhaustion in his bones as he walks through the door, skin prickling as he's exposed to the temperature setting meant to preserve the delicate oil paint on canvas. The room is lit by motion sensor LED lights that have been modified to shine like incandescent bulbs without the UV damage. 

It had taken him ages (and lots of sucking up to Mr. Lee) to discover that all the paintings are protected by both vibration sensors and saturation motion detectors, the latter of which are hidden in the vents. The vibration sensors trigger a signal when the paintings are touched, and the saturation motion detectors ensure that any unauthorized movement in the room triggers an alert to the Lee family's security services. Xiaojun has disabled all forms of security around the mansion temporarily, so it's just a matter of removing the protective glass from the pieces before he wraps each one carefully.

His hands tingle in the confines of the powder-less nitrile gloves he's wearing to handle the art, and not even the lack of sleep or his mostly empty stomach can ebb the flow of excitement in his veins as he touches each piece. Titanium yellow flowers sit in an earthen pot painted in shades of carob. A ballerina floats in ivory, with brushstrokes as light and fragile as lace. He’s never been interested in art history, but he’s always been interested in money, and the price for most of these paintings makes him dizzy with delight. The star of today’s show is an untitled painting by He Jiaying. He holds his breath as he touches it, with the understanding that the work on this canvas is worth too much to mess up. 

Hendery works as quickly as he can without harming some of the older works, removing the protective glass and wrapping the pieces before labeling them meticulously. He tries to stay focused, even as his hands shake and his surroundings blur. He answers check-ins from Taeil through his earpiece as he works, and Yukhei informs them that he has found gold in one of the large family safes hidden around the mansion. Sicheng works on collecting Mrs. Lee's jewelry, while Taeil and Yuta work on some of the other safes highlighted on Hendery's map. 

Hendery reins in the familiar apprehension as he works, because if there's one thing he's learned on jobs like this, it's that fear can lead to careless mistakes. _Remember, no traces._

Once all the paintings are wrapped as carefully as possible he gets Yukhei to help him load them into the van. Xiaojun monitors the video feed around the property, ensuring that no one unexpectedly comes through the wrought iron gates to see a sexy fumigation team loading a van with the Lee family treasure.

"Why the hell would anyone keep this much wealth in their own home? Aren't there protected places to store this shit?" Yuta asks as he helps Sicheng haul in a box of antique gold coins. 

"It's not like that would help. In their defense, museums, galleries, and banks with high-quality tech get robbed too. In fact, a gallery heist was one of our first jobs," Taeil replies. 

Everyone groans at the memory of their first heist. Where a much younger Hendery had severely fucked up a painting worth thousands due to improper handling, smudging centuries-old oil paint and ruining the value of the work. Where Yukhei had somehow fumbled with an antique vase and chipped it before they could even leave the gallery. Taeil and Sicheng had gotten the blueprints mixed up, so they'd wandered around the place for way too long before finding the right exhibits. Xiaojun hadn't known about the motion sensor detectors hidden in the vents, and when flashing lights signaled the presence of the police, they'd gathered the few pieces of art they had and made a run for it, escaping on the shakiest of luck. 

They've had many heists since then, both large and small, and Hendery can't help the pride that blooms in his chest at the way they work like a well-oiled machine now, barely needing to speak to each other as they carry out each facet of their plans. 

"Alright, I think that's it. There are more safes hidden all around the house, and there are more temp controlled art rooms as well, but I figure we should let them keep something for themselves," Sicheng says as he gets into the van. 

“We’re nothing if not kind,” Taeil says with a bright smile. Yukhei laughs at that, clapping his hands like an excitable seal. Yuta joins in, and it’s contagious. Soon the van is nearly shaking with the force of their laughter as they double over, clutching their stomachs and gasping through guffaws. It’s not all that funny, but there’s a sense of relief at the end of the job, at the prospect of taking what they want without getting caught. After a brief check-in with Xiaojun, they leave the property. The exhaustion finally catches up with Hendery, and he falls into a dreamless slumber as they drive off.

_-_-_-_-_

“I love being rich,” Yukhei says as he stares at all the zeroes following the first three digits of his new financial statement. 

It’s about a week after the heist, and their stolen goods have been sold, lost in the funnel of the black market. Their pockets are fat with cash that Taeil’s contacts have managed to clean up, and as usual, there are no traces.

“Do you feel bad for them?” Yuta asks from his place on the couch, head resting on a pillow on Sicheng’s lap. His eyes are glued to the television, where news of the robbery is being broadcasted. A teary-eyed Mrs. Lee clutches the hands of Soohyun and Jiho, decked in a Givenchy dress that compliments Mr. Lee’s Brioni suit. He talks about the “harm this robbery has caused the art community”, and Hendery just can’t find it in his heart to give a damn. 

He’d received an email earlier in the week from their head of staff, a request to come back and care for the children in this “trying time”. He’d given a heartfelt excuse that involved a sick family member and time away from school to care for them, and the Lees had wished him the best of luck.

“Not really. They’ll be fine,” Hendery says with a shrug. Yuta changes the channel after a particularly loud sob from Mrs. Lee, and that’s the end of that.

Hendery is half asleep on the couch, as he’s started randomly falling into slumber during the day. But at night he’s plagued by nightmares, and no amount of soothing tea or white noise can get him to sleep till sunrise. He’s also realized that he’s constantly hungry, but nothing looks appetizing enough for him to eat, food feeling like glue in his mouth whenever he so much as tries to join everyone for meals. 

“Hey, have you eaten today?” Xiaojun asks. He’s been quiet for most of the day, but Hendery catches him looking at him with concern from time to time. He’s sitting closer than usual, taking the spot normally reserved for Yukhei, who’s too busy trying to decide if he wants a Bentley or a Porsche (even as Taeil scolds him about keeping a low profile). Xiaojun is close enough that he can hear Hendery’s stomach growl in response, and he realizes that he’s stuck.

"You haven’t,” Xiaojun answers on his own, and Hendery can’t lie because he hasn’t so much as stepped into the kitchen all day. Xiaojun continues, “I think you might need to see a doctor. We all talked about it last night, and we want you to be safe and healthy.” 

Hendery belatedly realizes that the living room has gone silent, as the others are listening in. He wants to be defensive, but he’d be stupid not to agree. He looks like a ghost at this point, and it’s probably a miracle that he can still function at this rate. He needs help.

But he can’t tell them that the necklace he’s wearing is the only thing that brings him purpose now. It’s like an obsession, a drug that offers reassurance whenever he touches it. He’s spent hours gazing at the blood-red ruby in the mirror, ignoring his worn skin and the bruises under his eyes in favor of admiring the jewel. Even now, he remembers the day Yukhei caught him during one of his “sessions” (because as usual he never knocks). The look on his face was something resembling horror at the shadow his friend had become, skin pale and gaunt under the glare of the LED lights. His brows were pinched in confusion at Hendery’s fixation with the piece of jewelry around his neck. “Is everything alright, Hendery?” he’d asked. Hendery had mumbled something in the affirmative, but he’d known that the issue wouldn’t be dropped.

So now he sits in the midst of the five men he trusts with his life, and his mind finally catches up to the fact that this is an intervention. Yukhei looks apologetic, almost like a lost puppy as Hendery tries his best not to glare at him, because they’re right to worry, and Yukhei was right to tell the others how bad it’s gotten. 

Xiaojun pats his thigh, and Taeil speaks up. “You know we’re here for you, right? If there’s anything you need, we’ve got your back. You don’t have to tell us what’s wrong if you’re not comfortable sharing, but we’ve got you.” Hendery nods his head, eyes blurring with something he belatedly recognizes as tears. Xiaojun hugs him, and Yukhei being the absolute cuddle whore that he is, joins in. They hold him as if he’ll shatter if they apply pressure, and Hendery feels the tears burning a path down his face.

A few hours later he’s sitting in the sterile space of a hospital room, hooked up to an IV as a doctor asks him pointed questions about his health. He confirms that no, he does not have an eating disorder, and tries to explain his loss of appetite recently. They give him something to aid with sleep, and the doctor writes a prescription for him after listening to Hendery’s explanation about his sleepless nights. 

“Your body was on the verge of shutting down. It’s a lucky thing that we got you in here before it was too late,” the doctor informs him. He continues, “We want to run a few tests on you, so the nurses will be in to prep you in a bit. Just try to rest for now.”

Two nurses come in to prep him, and they give him a hospital gown to wear for his CT scan. “Please remove any jewelry, removable dental work, or hairpins,” one of the nurses says. Hendery feels his heart rate spike. He hasn’t removed the necklace since the night he put it on, isn’t sure he can. His hands shake as he moves to remove the clasp of the necklace, but it’s as if his fingers refuse to obey the commands from his brain. Hendery’s arms drop to his sides as he looks at the nurses helplessly. He doesn’t know how to tell them that he can’t bring himself to take off the jewelry. The nurses eye him in confusion, and one of them repeats the instructions, slowly this time, as though Hendery is a toddler. He wants to yell at them that if he could remove the damn necklace, he would. 

“Do you need help removing it? I can do it for you,” the nurse with her hair tied up in a severe bun asks. Hendery doesn’t like the idea of parting with the necklace, but he nods his head anyways. As soon as she touches it, he feels a jolt go through his body. He has the overpowering urge to defend the necklace. He grits his teeth, trembling from the effort of restraining himself from lashing out at the nurse as she fumbles with the clasp. She finally unclasps the necklace, and suddenly, Hendery can’t hold himself up. The last thing he sees is the alabaster paint of the hospital ceiling before everything fades away into black.

_-_

“-he awake? It’s been two days,” someone asks. Hendery’s eyes feel heavy as he fights to open them, and when he does the sunlight pouring in through the open window nearly makes him shut them again.

Once they adjust he sees Yukhei’s worried face first, then the faces of everyone else as they crowd around his hospital bed. The attending nurse asks them to be quiet, so as not to bother him too much, and the doctor comes in to check on him and inform them of his condition. 

“He’s been experiencing symptoms typical of severe withdrawal. We would advise that he should see a clinical psychologist who can help him work through anything that might be causing that,” the doctor says. As he speaks he scribbles out a flurry of prescriptions, and Hendery tries to get his still fuzzy brain to understand why he’d need drugs to help with withdrawal from addiction. The doctor leaves them after that, and his friends breathe a collective sigh of relief. He’s awake, and he’s okay.

_Addiction? To what?_ Hendery’s mind is muddled, but once he asks himself the question he remembers. _The necklace!_ His hand goes to his neck, and he ignores the tangle of IV tubes as he feels for the piece of jewelry. It’s still around his neck, and relief floods his veins almost as effectively as the drugs they’ve given him. 

“How are you feeling?” Sicheng asks. He’s clutching Yuta’s hand, and Hendery realizes that the other man’s eyes are red. 

“M’fine? Meds are nice,” he says with a dopey smile. He’s still drugged up, and the world feels like it’s coated with cotton. Yukhei moves to hold his hand gently on one side, and he feels Xiojun grasp his other hand. It still feels like a dream when Yukhei says, “I was talking to a friend of mine, Renjun. He thinks he might know how to help you.” Hendery nods his head and smiles again, and Taeil tells them to let him sleep some more, as he’s too doped up to actually understand anything at the moment. He falls asleep to the sound of whirring, beeping machines, and his friends’ soft voices.

He dreams. Which isn’t unusual, but it’s the first time in weeks that his unconscious mind doesn’t summon up a nightmare, and that’s the strange part. He’s in a spacious room, filled with workbenches and shelves sagging under the weight of jars, bottles, and tubes. They’re all neatly labeled, but Hendery can’t read the signs. His attention is soon stolen by the presence of a man at one of the workbenches. It has a small stovetop, and he’s murmuring something as he stirs the contents of the pot on the stove. He suddenly stops, looking around as if sensing an intrusion.

“Who’s there? Jaehyun? If this is one of your pranks I swear I’ll sneak a shit ton of belladonna into your coffee,” he says as he turns around. He looks right through Hendery, as though he can’t see him, and Hendery lets out a gasp that’s only audible to himself as he recognizes who the man is. _Ten_. When he gets no reply he turns back to the pot, but his eyes shift around in discomfort as he tries to figure out what the disturbance is. 

The dream is breathtakingly vivid, and once he gets bored of watching Ten add things to the pot he wanders around, touching the worn wooden workbenches as he moves. It’s almost as if he’s floating, and he feels himself being tugged in the direction of a door on the opposite side of the room. He tries to open it, but it’s locked, and Ten whips around when he jiggles the doorknob in a bid to get it to open. 

“Alright, I don’t know if that’s you Jae, or a spirit, or whatever the fuck. But I need you to leave, now,” Ten says. He makes a gesture with his hands, forming a fist at his heart and yanking outwards. It’s as if Hendery has been ejected from his own dream, as he’s yanked from the room and into the familiar darkness of slumber. 

He remembers every detail of the dream when he wakes up, and he has the creeping feeling that his subconscious didn’t make that room up. He was actually there, and the thought makes him shudder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! The story will be picking up more in the 3rd chapter, I kind of worked on this super fast.


End file.
